The 2021 Asia Cup has been cancelled due to significant rise in numbers of coronavirus in Sri Lanka on Wednesday.
The one-day international cricket tournament whose location was shifted from Pakistan to Sri Lanka, was last held in 2018. It was scheduled to be held in June this year in the island nation.
Sri Lanka Cricket CEO Ashley de Silva said it will be difficult for them to conduct the tournament. "Due to the prevailing situation, it will not be possible to play the tournament in June this year," De Silva told reporters.
As per reports, the 15th edition of the tournament was supposed to be hosted by Pakistan but since India was unlikely to travel there due to political tension between the two nations, it was shifted to Sri Lanka.
This rescheduling jeopardise to find slots for the next schedule. Sri Lanka also plans to play their LPL in August, while Bangladesh's BPL is also set for later in the year.
Reports suggested that the tournament might only find a slot after the 2023 ICC 50-over World Cup.
The Asian Cricket Council headed by BCCI secretary Jay Shah is yet to make a formal announcement.
As usually played every two years, several media outlets have suggested that Asia Cup is likely to be held in consecutive years – in 2022 and 2023.
